Speed indicator



SPEED TNDI CATOR Filed July 14, 1957 O. A WORN/5y Patented Nov. 7, 1939UNITED Asrmlszs PATENT OFFECE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved speed indicator, and has, for oneof'its principal objects, the provision of means which can be applied toa vehicle, particularly an automobile, and which will indicate both tothe driver or operator thereof and also to others, the speed at whichthe automobile is traveling.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide, inconjunctionwith an automobile or the like, a speed indicating meanswhich will be variable upon motion of the car and which is controlledmainly by the Wind resistance set up by the car when in motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, yet effective,wind speed indicator for automobiles or the like, which, when used inconjunction with a series of indicating lights, will immediately andvisually, and, at the same time, accurately indicate the speed which theautomobile or other vehicle is traveling.

Another and still further important object of the invention is theprovision, in an automobile speed indicator, of meansfor adjusting thewind vane or similar appurtenance whereby allowance may be made for theposition of the vane, its dimensions, and even for head or tail winds.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and followingspecification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is shown in the drawing andhereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile, showing the improvedspeed indicator of this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a slightly enlarged view of the speed indicator itself,illustrating generally the operation of same and also illustrating thecasing or housing, and the method of attaching same to the assembly. i fFigure 3 is a detail view of the Vane of the indicator, together with anattached arm which travels over a series of binding posts or contactpoints whereby a series of signal light are illuminated as the speedprogresses.

Figure 4 is another view of the device of Figure 3, showing the same ina different position and also indicating the use of a counterweight andother elements by means of which the operation maybe adjusted. Figure 5is a detail view, illustrating one adjustable feature of the invention.

Figure 6 is a view, partly in section, taken on the line 6 6 of Figure4, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure '7 is a front view of the device shown in Figure 5, showing someof the adjustable features.

Figure 8 is an elevation of an automobile Ig; windshield, showing theimproved indicator of this invention aplied thereto.

Figure 9 is a view of a portion of the rear of an automobile, showinganother feature of the invention.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral l0 indicates generally the housing or casing onwhich the improved speed indicator of this invention is mounted, theindicator itself comprising generally a vane I2 of metal or the likesupported by an arm or plate I4 (Figure '7) which arm is pivoted at t6in the housing ID and has an extension i8 which rides over a series ofcontact points or binding posts 26 mounted in an arcuate plate 22 ofsome suitable insulating material.

The housing Ill is removably attached to the under-face of the floorboard 24 of the automobile 26 by means of bolts or the like Eil, andwires 3i) lead from the binding post 2U to banks 25 of indicator lights3?. and 34 which are mounted respectively in the windshield and at therear of the car, these wires being also connected to the battery 36.

In the end of the arm I8 is mounted a rod 3S 30 upon which is slidablyfitted a contact element 4D normally impelled into outermost position bymeans of the helical spring 42, and this contact element 40 is adaptedto ride over the contact points 2l! in succession as the car gathersspeed. 35 Each of the contact points '2D is, of course, connected to oneof the current-carrying wires 30, and these, in turn, lead to individuallight globes 44 mounted in the indicator banks 32 and 34 on thewindshield and at the rear of the car respectively. As will be evidentfrom an inspection of Figures 3 and 4, the device is inoperative whenthe car is at rest, and even when running at speeds of say less thanthirty miles per hour, the first contact being preferably made at aspeed 45 of approximately thirty miles per hour. From then on, thecontacts are preferably graduated at intervals representing increases ofspeed of around five miles per hour, but obviously these can begraduated differently so as to vary the indicated results overpractically any desired range, while, at the same time, the apparatususes no current when the car is at rest.

This varying or adjustability of the indicated results can beaccomplished in more than one manner, the rst being by the adjustment ofa counterweight 4B in a positioning slot 48 which is formed in thesupporting element I4 and also in the corresponding portion of the vanel2 as best shown in Figure 7. Adjustment of this Weight by means of itssupporting bolt or nut 50 enables a proper compensation for variationsin wind speed.

Another similar adjustment is accomplished by providing a hinged ap orextension 52 at the lower edge of the vane l2, this being supported bymeans of side brackets 54, the lower ends of the brackets beingpivotally mounted in the extension 52, and the upper ends being capableof adjustably fitting into any one of a series of openings n 56 as bestillustrated in Figure 5.

If desired, this adjustment can be made While the car is actually inmotion by providing a simple hand hole in the oor board 24 of theautomobile, This hand hole can obviously be covered when not in use. v

It will be obvious that by the useof this device, the operator of anycar will be immediately acquainted with the speed at which it istraveling, the contact points 20 being individually connected to lightsof various colors, which colors may be made standard for speedindicators of this type. For example, a speed of thirty miles per hourmay be indicated by a white light, forty miles per hour by a greenlight, nity by an amber light, sixty by a red light or in any otherconvenient manner. The banks of such lights are so arranged in thewindshield that besides being immediately visible to the operator, theyare also Visible toother observers such as persons in oncoming cars orbystanders.'

The bank of lights at the rear is, of course, similarly arranged so thatthe speed of the car is immediately apparent to anyone following orbehind the same. Accordingly, a person driving in a Zone rated at fortymiles per hour will so govern his speed as to keep his indicating lightwithin that range, and if his speed does exceed the predetermined limit,his indicating lights will immediately announce the fact both to theoperator and also to all observers. In this manner, careless anddangerous drivers will automatically announce their attitude to theworld at large and to trafc policemen in particular, and many seriousaccidents will undoubtedly be averted.

Either bank of lights, but particularly those on the windshield, can beattached in many ways; for example, a set of vacuum cups may be used,this allowing ready application of the device to any automobile while inservice, and,. at the same time, allowing of a very easy shifting of thelights themselves from place to place as desired. 'Ihe banks of lightsmayalso include a signal light known as the stop light and also otherindicating lights such as backing lights and possibly, inl addition,some official indicator. For example, a light of a certain color mayindicate an oicial car such as a police car. All these, of course, maybe in one bank of lights and operated in particular and special manners,as, for example', by the speed indicator vane itself or by switches onthe brake pedal as is common with stop light construction or by a handswitch which,

.of course, may be used to operate oicial indicating lights.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction varied throughout a wide range Without departing from theprinciples of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limitingthe patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the priorart.

I claim as my invention:

A speed indicator for automobiles, a housing, a wind vane outside of thehousing and pivotally mounted in one face of the housing, an armextending from the vane into the housing and in a fixed relationshipwith the vane, a springpressed Contact point at the end of the arm, anarcuate plate inside the housing, and a series of contact points in theplate over which the end of the arm travels, together with means foradjusting the air resistance capacity of the van-e, said meanscompri-sing a hinged ap at the outer edge of the vane, and means forchanging the angular relationship of the flap with the vane, said meansvcomprising an arm attached to the outer end of the flap and beingadjustably positioned in slots in the vane, together with auxiliarymeans for adjusting the effective indicating operation of the Vane, saidmeans comprising a counter-weight slidably mounted in a slot in the rearof the vane.

VALENTINE RUMCHAKS.

